Prison officer smokes out goats thief

A PRISON officer sold out a Chipinge woman who was allegedly preying on other villagers’ goats after she sold him two suspected stolen goats.

Eliza Sithole (47), of Mwandifira village, is now in Chipinge Remand Prison for allegedly stealing two goats belonging to Shupikai Sigauke and selling them to a prison officer, Lisdome Ngoweni, of Chipinge Prison.

Sithole pleaded not guilty to stocktheft charges when she appeared before Chipinge magistrate Joshua Nembaware.

In her defence, Sithole denied that she stole Sigauke’s two goats and sold them to Ngoweni.

“I deny the allegations being levelled against me that I stole the complainant’s two goats from the grazing lands and sold them to Lisdome Ngoweni. The goats which I sold to Lisdome belonged to me,” she said.

Shamiso Ncube told the court that on October 17 last year, Sithole went to Mwandira grazing area under Chief Mutema where the goats were grazing.

A herdboy in attendance was not closely monitoring the goats and Sithole allegedly stole a she-goat and disappeared without being noticed.

The following day, she sent her employee Wonderful Sithole to go and sell the goat to Ngoweni at Chipinge Prison.

The employee went and sold the goat and returned with the proceeds to his employer.

Three days later, using the same method, she went back to the same grazing area and allegedly stole another goat belonging to the complainant.

She again sent her employee to go and sell it to Ngoweni at the prison.

The matter came to light after the complainant received word that Sithole was selling goats to Ngoweni which they suspected could have been stolen.

Sigauke went to Ngoweni to inquire from him about the goats and gave him their descriptions.

He admitted that, indeed, he bought such goats from Sithole and had since slaughtered them.

She made a police report, leading to Sithole being arrested, but nothing was recovered.